(by Amber Dembowski)
One Saturday evening, several years ago,I found myself celebrating the wedding of a colleague. It was a joyful event—a rare opportunity to connect outside the walls of the school and share life’s moments together.
As I mingled, I saw a teacher who had just buried her mother earlier that week, courageously finding space to celebrate. I noticed an elderly woman in a wheelchair, the bride’s grandmother, who had miraculously made it despite being in hospice care. I held the grandson of a teacher whose pride shone brighter than the lights on the dance floor. I chatted with a young teacher about potential dates and met families of colleagues I’d worked with for years.
That evening wasn’t just a celebration; it was a reflection of life’s highs and lows—hope, heartbreak, resilience, and connection. Each person in that room had a story, including every teacher who showed up.
As I sat down to write, I reflected on the humanity of these educators. Their personal lives don’t stop at the school doors. Their experiences, struggles, and joys come with them, shaping who they are and how they show up for their students.
Yet, our education system often demands that teachers fit neatly into a box, leaving no room for their humanity. It’s a flawed expectation, one that forgets teachers are real people navigating life just like everyone else.
This realization shaped my leadership as a principal. We all need to find the courage to push back against the system’s rigid expectations and fight for the humanity of the teachers we work with. But sadly, the opposite still exists.
At an education summit I attended, I ran into a former colleague—a seasoned teacher and leader—who had returned to the classroom after years of training other educators. What should have been an inspiring experience turned into a disheartening one. Her principal placed extreme demands on the staff, ignoring their humanity in the pursuit of results. By the end of the year, she left the classroom.
This isn’t an isolated story. It’s part of a larger crisis. The education system is at the heart of our society’s future, but it’s cracking under the weight of unrealistic pressures. Leaders, consumed by their own fears of failure, often forget to value the very people who make schools function: the teachers.
Teachers need accountability, professional growth, and high expectations, but they also need support, understanding, and care. Their well-being is not a luxury—it’s essential. When teachers feel valued and cared for, their strength and passion ripple out to their students and communities.
As leaders, it’s on us to step up and show courage. To balance the demands of education with the humanity of those we lead. To ensure teachers know they are just as important as the students they serve.
That’s why tools like TeacherWell exist. It’s not just about checking a box to show that you’re trying to prioritize teachers—it’s about giving teachers the support they actually need to thrive, both in and out of the classroom.
If you’re a leader, consider gifting your teachers the ultimate sign of your care: a group plan for TeacherWell. Because when you invest in their well-being, everything else falls into place.
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